By: Rev. David Wilson Rogers
Within hours of the announcement, many leaders in the Church and students across college campuses erupted in a compassionate resistance to the inhumanity and incredulity of the decree—and for good reason. The actions of President Trump regarding the so-called “Dreamers” and immigration law is a sinful violation of Christianity and humanity.
Statements from church denominations including the Roman Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church, the Quakers, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) were among the first to strongly denounce the action to end the controversial Obama-era program protecting childhood immigrants to the United States. Calling on Biblical priorities to welcome the stranger, care for the outcast, and protect the vulnerable, faithful Christian leaders have stood in solidary regarding this immoral action by the President.
Some understandably defend the President with arguments that the rule of law must be respected. Recognizing that illegal immigrants are fundamentally breaking the law by virtue of being in the United States illegally, many naturally assume that the rule of law should prevail and such illegal people should be sent back until they can follow the process of the law and immigrate to the U.S. properly. The notion is a lie when one considers that the same President who claims to support the rule of law regarding immigration, also usurped the rule of law by pardoning a convicted sheriff that deliberately violated the rule of law by denying civil rights to citizens—all for partisan political posturing and power.
Unfortunately, politics is clearly at the heart of the U.S. immigration policy and debate. There are legitimate arguments regarding the rule of law in terms of the previous President’s authority to pass protective measures such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The reality is that Congressional inaction—or perhaps ineptitude—combined with the deeply corrosive partisan rancor of our modern Washington leadership is indicative of the disgrace that our democracy has become. Adding fuel to the fire was Tuesday’s presidential decree that, in order to force Congress to do something—anything—meant that the leader of the free world is willing to pull the rug out from under the very people the Bible commands Christians to care for with God’s love, compassion, and grace.
This also makes the situation a double violation of God’s law. Not only are the “least of these” being targeted by a broken and misguided political system, these very people have also been reduced to political pawns in a partisan bid for power and control. Essentially, it reduces human beings to mere things and degrades God’s most precious creation—a humanity created in God’s image—to being weapons in an ideological, and idolatrous war. When that happens, God is disgraced. It is sin and it must be denounced for a sin against God and God’s creation.
That is not to say the Christians of this nation sit back and do nothing about immigration reform or turn a blind eye to those who would break the law. Realistic, common sense, compassionate, and genuinely biblically authentic immigration is needed. Yet, as followers of Christ, the Church must stand with Christ on this issue. We must stop treating human beings as political pawns, and recognize that we have biblical mandate to welcome the orphan and widow, the resident alien, and the stranger in our midst. We must also denounce the sinful practice of placing politics and partisanship above human lives and distorting Christianity to conform to partisan politics. It is a call to faithful prayer, prayerful action, and loving resistance to the inhumanity that is threatening to destroy the integrity of this nation and the Christian faith.
